The next morning, Louis arrived at the office earlier than usual. As soon as he reached his desk, his eyes were immediately drawn to a small pink box with a white ribbon on top. His brows furrowed. Who was this from?

With hesitation, he picked up the box, feeling the soft texture of the ribbon at his fingertips. Before he could open the mysterious gift, the sound of approaching footsteps made him turn his head.


'Louis!" Sarah, the finance manager, appeared with a knowing smile. 'Did you get a present from your girlfriend?" she asked teasingly.

Louis remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly without saying anything. He knew that if he denied it, Sarah would only become more curious.

'Hmmm… how romantic," Sarah said with a mischievous grin. 'She must really like you."


Louis only gave a faint smile, trying not to show his nervousness. After a few seconds, Sarah finally returned to her desk, leaving Louis alone with the unopened gift.

After making sure no one was watching, Louis sat down and slowly opened the box. His eyes widened as soon as he saw its contents—a red and black lacy lingerie neatly folded inside.


Damn.

On top of the lingerie was a small note: Meet me in the office if you've made your decision.

Louis swallowed hard. His face heated up as he hurriedly closed the box and stuffed it into his drawer, as if the object might explode at any moment. His emotions were a mix of frustration, embarrassment, and confusion.

Without thinking twice, he got up from his seat, took the box with him, and marched toward the CEO's office—Cleopatra's office.

When he reached the door, he knocked hard before pushing it open with determination. But as he stepped inside, he was taken aback. Cleopatra was not at her desk.

'Looking for me?"

A soft yet teasing voice came from right behind him.

Louis turned, and there she was—Cleopatra, wearing that signature sly expression. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and before he could say anything, she locked the door behind him.

Louis frowned. 'What are you doing?"

Cleopatra approached him with graceful steps, her arms crossed over her chest. 'I just want to know," she said playfully. 'Do you prefer red or black?"

Louis let out a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check. 'This is ridiculous, Cleopatra. We agreed on a contract marriage, but that doesn't mean you can toy with me like this."

Cleopatra gave a small smirk. 'I just need to make sure of one thing, Louis."

Louis shot her a sharp gaze. 'What?"

Cleopatra moved closer, the space between them narrowing. Her delicate fingers traced his chest through his maroon shirt, her touch slow and deliberate as if reading his now erratic heartbeat.

'We still need to have a child to defeat Theodore in court," she whispered, her lips just inches from his ear. 'You haven't forgotten about the will, have you?"

Louis froze. Of course, he remembered. If Cleopatra didn't marry and have a child within the given time frame, all of her father's wealth would fall into Theodore's hands.

Her fingers trailed slightly lower, making Louis' body tense up. It was the first time a woman had ever touched him like this. Cleopatra knew it, and she was enjoying how he slowly started to crumble.

Louis swallowed hard. 'I… I know," he murmured, his voice raspier than he expected.

Cleopatra smiled in satisfaction, as if reading his mind. 'Good," she said before finally stepping back gracefully. 'I'll be waiting for you in my office tonight. Think it over carefully, Louis."

Without waiting for his response, Cleopatra walked back to her desk, leaving Louis standing there, struggling to control his chaotic heartbeat.

Damn, he was really in big trouble.

________________________________________

Louis returned to his office with a restless expression. Ever since he left Cleopatra's office, his mind hadn't been at ease. His fingers kept tapping on the desk unconsciously, and his thoughts wandered into possibilities he shouldn't be imagining. His concentration was completely shattered, and he had lost count of how many times he had gone to the restroom just to splash cold water on his face.

His unusual behavior caught the attention of Adrian, his colleague. Adrian leaned in and whispered, 'Hey, Louis, are you okay? You've been acting weird all day."

Louis sighed, looking at Adrian with frustration. 'I… I have a problem."

Adrian narrowed his eyes with curiosity. 'Let's go to the cafeteria and talk. It's break time anyway."

The two of them walked to the cafeteria, and Louis finally spilled his problem—of course, without mentioning Cleopatra's name. He only said that his girlfriend had asked him for something difficult, something that involved proving his feelings.

Adrian listened intently until Louis admitted that his girlfriend wanted him to sleep with her.

Adrian's eyes widened. 'Are you serious? She actually said that?"

Louis nodded, still looking completely lost.

Adrian smirked. 'Wait… you're still a virgin, aren't you?"

Louis groaned in annoyance. 'That's not the point, Adrian!"

Adrian chuckled before placing a hand on Louis' shoulder. 'Alright, alright, I get it. Look, if you really want to prove your feelings, maybe start with something sweeter. Don't jump straight to sleeping together. Try showing her more affection first."

Louis paused, processing Adrian's words. That actually made sense.

Finally, he nodded and gave a small smile. 'You're right. I should start with something more meaningful. Thanks, Adrian."

Adrian patted his shoulder. 'Anytime, man."

With a clearer mind, Louis returned to his desk with a newfound sense of calm. Maybe there was another way to handle Cleopatra besides falling into her game.

Louis took a deep breath as he glanced at the clock on his computer—7 PM. Everyone in his department had already gone home, leaving the office floor in a tense silence. After a few moments of gathering courage, he got up and started walking toward the CEO's office.

As he passed the empty workstations, his steps became more certain. There was no sound except for his shoes clicking against the cold marble floor. It felt like he was the only person left on this floor tonight. When he finally reached Cleopatra's elegant, carved door, his heart pounded harder than usual.

He raised his hand to knock, but the door was already slightly open, allowing him to see inside. Cleopatra sat behind her desk, wearing thin-framed glasses that only enhanced her beauty. Her black hair cascaded gracefully over her shoulders, and she looked completely immersed in the document she was reading.

Louis cursed silently. He had to stay composed. But before he could think any further, Cleopatra lifted her head and noticed him. Without hesitation, she removed her glasses, set them on the desk, and stood up.

'Louis," she greeted, her voice soft yet dangerous. Her steps were light as she approached him, her lips curling into a seductive smile. Her gaze was filled with desire.

Louis knew what would happen if he let himself get carried away. He had to act before Cleopatra took control of the situation.

Just as Cleopatra was about to embrace him, he swiftly pulled something from behind his back—a single red rose.

Cleopatra stopped instantly, her expression shifting from teasing to puzzled. This was clearly not what she had expected.

'I want to try something before we sleep together," Louis said, his voice slightly tense. 'I want to get close to you in a way that's more than just… an agreement."

Cleopatra raised an eyebrow as if considering his words. Her sharp eyes studied him, searching for signs of whether he was playing a game or being sincere.

'You want to get close to me?" she asked seductively. 'You realize, Louis, I'm not the kind of woman who waits."

Louis swallowed hard. He knew Cleopatra was dominant and disliked hesitation. But he had to try.

'I just want to know you better before we take the next step," he admitted honestly.

Cleopatra let out a small sigh before smirking. 'You're quite interesting, Louis."

But before he could say anything else, Cleopatra grabbed his collar and kissed him with intense passion.

Louis froze. Damn, Cleopatra was truly dangerous.

And he knew—this was just the beginning.